Pop-up project begins week in Woodlawn, will culminate with a "Souldown"

City Meats & Vegetables owner Randy Newell is collaborating with Avodale's Freshfully to help get fresh produce to Woodlawn. Newell said the collaboration, which is part of REV Birmingham's month of "pop-up" projects, may continue after the pop-up events conclude. (Stan Diel/sdiel@al.com)

From today through the weekend empty storefronts in Woodlawn will be temporarily occupied by new and small businesses and organizers will hold events including a gathering of food trucks, a marketing workshop and a street party with live music.

Randy Newell’s City Meats & Vegetables store will serve as a pickup location for local produce Woodlawn residents can order through the Avondale market Freshfully. That collaboration, which is an extension of a Freshfully service that delivers orders to pick-up locations around the city, could be extended beyond the week of pop-ups, Newell said.

“In the long run, we’re trying to get fresh produce in the area,” he said.

This week’s event will culminate with a “Souldown” street party to be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday on 55th Place South. Soul food vendors will be present and entertainment will include Denita Gibbs, Shaheed and DJ Supreme, organizers said.

The month-long series of "pop-up" projects will culminate Sunday with a soul food and soul music street party in Woodlawn. (Stan Diel/sdiel@al.com)

Laura Kate Lindsey, marketing events coordinator for Pepsi bottler Buffalo Rock, said the month-long series of events has been “a wonderful experiment.”

“The community has gotten behind this project in an overwhelming way,” she said in a prepared statement. Buffalo Rock is the presenting sponsor for the Souldown event.

The schedule of events in Woodlawn:

--REV Residence: Oct. 28 – Nov. 1, 5529 1st Ave. S.

--REVIVE Woodlawn Veggie Boxes: Order by Tuesday at Freshfully.com/REVIVE, pick up Friday at City Meats.